Sam Mooradian "Bad Brain"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Progressive Metal
Format: digital
Release date: July 28, 2023
Tracklist

1. Bad Brain (4:38) 

2. Suspicious Gait  (5:30) 

3. Titrate Down  (5:56) 

4. Real Anger (2:18) 

5. Tinnitus  (4:31) 

6. Assassin Mad  (13:20) 

7. Find Someone Else (1:15) 

8. Spies Are Listening (2:58) 

9. Come And Get Me (4:25) 

Total Time 44:51

Credits

Sam Mooradian (Fallujah) - Guitar, bass, programmed drums, synths, vocals

   With

Michael Alvarez (Flub) - Vocals (2)

Richard Blumenthal (Blumen, Aviations) - Piano (3)

Isaac Stolzer-Gary (The World Is Quiet Here) - Second guitar solo (5)

Kyle Schaefer (Archaeologist, Fallujah) - Vocals (6)

All songs written by Sam Mooradian

Produced, mixed, mastered by Sam Mooradian

Artwork by Brendan MacAllister

Description/Reviews:

The rhythms on the album are very good and rather diverse. “Bad Brain” is a great melodic adventure that brings plenty of unique riffs, some complexity and a lot of mood. It takes you on a musical trip many instrumental offerings generally fail to do. I can enjoy some great guitar playing as a fellow player, but compose a fucking song and don’t wank the whole song ya know? Sam brings a lot of that and it’s good more players are riff/composition focused, and not littering their songs with endless guitar solos.

Read the full review at technicalmusicreview.com

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Dice "Chronicles Of The Last Self Thinkers"

Country: Germany
Genre(s): Progressive Rock
Label: Scene Records
Format: CD, digital
Release date: June 12, 2023 (digital), July 21, 2023 (CD)
Tracklist

1. Who Knows The Truth (12:41) 

2. I Am The Only One (12:16) 

3. Just Like The Lemmings (9:38) 

4. The Key (10:02) 

5. Freedom For My Soul (9:52) 

6. Chronicle 57 Blues Play (DICE-Map 7) (5:05) 

Total Time 59:34

Credits

Christian Nóvé - vocals, keyboards, bass

Ramona Nóvé - background vocals

Peter Viertel - guitars

Tom Tomson - drums

Links:
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Progarchives
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JJ Chardeau "Ombres And Lumières: In Terra Cognita 2 – Europa 1 : Occidentalis"

Country: France
Genre(s): Progressive Rock Opera
Label: L Records - LR1901
Format: CD, digital
Release date: July 14, 2023
Tracklist

1. Donibane Lohitzue (4:54) 

2. Eire (5:36) 

3. Iceland & Fire (3:03) 

4. Scandinavia (7:32) 

5. Sur Le Dam (2:53) 

6. Over The Channel (4:09) 

7. Belux Concerto (3:49) 

8. Swing Heil (5:33) 

9. Tyrol Canon Snow Dance (3:25) 

10. Cliché Suisse (3:02) 

11. Lisbonne Is Dying (5:28) 

12. Reconquista (6:36) 

13. Seborga (11:10) 

14. Edossa Fakelaki (3:57) 

Total Time 71:07 

Credits

JJ Chardeau - piano, lead & backing vocals (1, 5, 8, 13)

   With

​John Van EPS - orchestration, keyboards, vibraphone, programming

Francis Décamps (Ange, Gens de la Lune) (5, 10), Bob Ramsey (6), Jeff Holmes (6, 7, 11, & Big Band 8), Guy Allison (12) - keyboards

Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra) - acoustic and electric violins (2, 4, 5, 8, 13)

John McFee - acoustic guitar, jew's harp, violin, cello and mandolin (2, 3, 5, 13)

John Helliwell (Supertramp) - sax (8, 11, 12)

Stéphane Guillaume - flutes (2, 5, 12)

Tom Bergeron - trumpet (4, 9, 10, 12)

Christophe Kutx - Txistu & Xirula (1)

Alan Weinstein - cello (3, 4, 7, 9…)

Hank Linderman (1), Jimmy Haun (Arc of Life) (4), Dave Gregory (Big Big Train, XTC) (12), John Jorgenson (5, 8, 10, 13), Chris Pinnick (6, 11), Mauro Cicozzi (2) - guitars

Mark Andes (5, 6, 9, 11, 13), Jason Scheff (Chicago) (1, 2, 8), Fifi Chayeb (4, 11), Nicolas Chelly (3, 10), Karim Rachedi (14) - bass 

Danny Seraphine (Chicago) (1, 8), Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) (9, 12), Doane Perry (4), Mark Walker (2, 3, 6, 11, 14) - drums

Xavier Dessandre-Navarre - percussion (2, 5, 11, 13)

Groupe Moreas (14): Dimitri Mastrogioglou (bouzouki), Apostolos Moraitis (guitar), Costas Dourountzis (arrangement & programming), Antoine Karacostas (recording)

MMM Orchestra: Emlyn VanEps (violins), Alan Weinstein (cello), Bruce Krasin (flutes, clarinet & oboe), Orlando Pandolfi (English horn)

Swing Heil Big Band: Bruce Krasin (sax & flute), Tim Atherton (trombone), Jeff Holmes (trumpet & piano)

Christian & Tristan Décamps (8), Francesco Ciapica (13), Eric Troyer (Electric Light Orchestra) (6), Hank Linderman (11), Jeddrah Leiterding (2, 6, 9, 13), Eric Geisen (8) - lead & backing vocals 

Choirs Ascese (1): Inigo Vilas, Fernando Boto, Anais Darguy, Isabelle Castillon. Management: Philippe Mendes. Arrangements: Mario Gâchis. Recording: Studio Agora.

Produced, composed & written by JJ Chardeau, except Over the Channel (lyrics by JJC , music by JJC & Christian Planchier) and Lisbon is dying ((lyrics by Alan Simon & JJC, music by JJC).

Recording* and mixing by John Van EPS except Hank Linderman recording by Jerry Goodman, John Jorgenson and Jeddrah Leiterding

Mastering by Angelo Quaglia @ Northfire studio

Graphic design: Kristof Laroche for BoHu ToHu -

Image credit: NASA, K. Laroche, Pexels, Pixabay

Media/Samples
Deezer
Spotify

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Ring Van Möbius "Commissioned Works Pt II - Six Drops of Poison"

Country: Norway
Genre(s): Retro Prog
Label: Apollon Records Prog
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Release date: July 14, 2023
Tracklist

1. The 1st Chapter: Elements, including a) In Awe, b) The Portrait

2. The 2nd Chapter: The Fire (pt I)

3. The 3rd Chapter: Moments and Movements, including a) The Questioning, b) Circles & Crosses, c) The Drifting (pt I)

4. The 4th Chapter: Through Oceans of Glass

5. The 5th Chapter: When Man Becomes Wolf

6. The 6th Chapter: Hex

7. The 7th Chapter: An Ending, including a) The Transfer, b) The Knife

8. The 8th Chapter: A Darker Poison, including a) The Dawn, b) Colossal

9. The 9th Chapter: The Echoes, including a) The Drifting (pt II), b) Directions

10. The 10th Chapter: Paradoxal Fate, including a) The Eyes, b) The Drifting (pt III), c) The Cosmic Hour 

11. The 11th Chapter: The Nine, including a) The Fire (pt II), b) A Nonagon in Eight 

12. The 12th Chapter: The Conclusion, including a) Astray, b) The Finale

Credits

Thor Erik Helgesen: Spectral Modular Synthesis System, Hammond L100, Steinway grand piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Yamaha upright piano, Mellotron, lead and backing vocals 

Dag Olav Husås: Tubular bells, timpani, chimes, drums, glockenspiel, gong, cymbals, backing vocals

Håvard Rasmussen: Danelectro Doubleneck 6 str. bass / 12 str. baritone guitar, Space Echo, Ring Modulator

Arranged by Helgesen/Husås/Rasmussen

Words & musical concept by Helgesen

Recorded and produced by Helgesen/Husås/Rasmussen at Spectral Tape Studio. Steinway grand piano was recorded in the Tysværtunet Kulturhus onto a Revox PR99 mk II

Mastered at Lunds Lyd by Morten Lund 

Photographs by Anders Mikkelsen

Layout, typography and design by Hypnotist Design & Helgesen

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Bandcamp

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